19 March 2025
The Student Health & Wellbeing Team at Fife College is hosting a series of Drug Trends & Overdose Awareness sessions, presented in collaboration with Police Scotland and With You in Fife. The informative sessions are open to both students and staff, available on-campus and online, and aim to provide crucial insights into the current drug crisis.
This initiative comes at a critical time, as recent statistics highlight a concerning rise in drug-related deaths across Scotland. In 2023 alone, 1,172 lives were tragically lost to drug misuse, marking a 12% increase from previous years. Scotland now has the highest drug mortality rate in Europe, with individuals in the most deprived areas being 15 times more likely to die from drug misuse compared to those in the least deprived areas.
In addition, the impact of substance misuse extends to families, with over 1,500 infants born with neonatal abstinence syndrome since 2017, a clear sign of maternal drug or alcohol abuse during pregnancy.
By staying informed about current drug trends and understanding effective overdose prevention strategies, Fife College aims to empower its community to combat this crisis and promote a safer, healthier environment for all.
The sessions will provide valuable information on the following topics:
- What are we seeing in Fife?
- What is harm reduction?
- How to stay safe
- Signs and symptoms of overdose and how to respond
- The life-saving role of naloxone
Carol Hunter, Health & Wellbeing Adviser at Fife College, said:
“By raising awareness, understanding harm reduction, and learning life-saving interventions like naloxone use, we can all play a role in reducing drug-related harm.
“These sessions provide crucial knowledge that could save a life – perhaps even someone you know. By working together, we can hopefully create a safer and more informed community for all.”
The first session at the Carnegie Conference Centre in Dunfermline saw strong participation, with over 100 students in attendance. Those who were unable to attend still have several opportunities to take part in the upcoming sessions on the following dates:
- 19 March - Online session
- 25 March - Kirkcaldy Campus
- 1 April - Glenrothes Campus
Please note that these are bookable sessions which are available on a first-come, first-served basis. To secure your place, complete the booking form here.